Visa Security Sense: How Visa Protects You?

With Visa, you can feel complete card confidence wherever you go. Our multiple layers of security prevent, detect and resolve unauthorized use of your card information. And, in the unlikely event fraud occurs, you can rest assured that you will never be held liable for unauthorized charges—you’ll owe nothing, that’s our Zero Liability promise.

Smarter credit and debit cards are coming soon to a wallet near you. The United States is moving to chip-enabled credit and debit cards. We’re putting the power and security of a computer micro-chip right into your card. The new cards will be nearly impossible for criminals to counterfeit, and travel will be made even easier to more than 130 countries where chip cards are already used. Chip-enabled cards do everything magnetic strip cards do but even more securely. Plus the move to chip will help us get to mobile payments faster and more securely.

As this technology rolls out, there are a few things you should know.

Zero Liability

Visa wants you to feel free to use your card with complete confidence. In the unlikely event that fraud occurs, Visa’s Zero Liability policy means you won’t be held responsible for fraudulent charges made with your card or account information.

Real Time Fraud Monitoring

Intelligence is our best defense. The instant a merchant processes your card, Visa goes to work preventing fraud. We use a detection system to scan thousands of transactions per second. We look for subtle changes in spending patterns that could indicate fraud. If something's amiss—a mismatched address, an unusually large purchase, or transaction far from home—we respond immediately.

3-Digit Security Code

Ever wonder what that extra three-digit number on the back of the card means? It's simple, really. That code confirms that the card is in your physical possession when you're ordering online or by phone. If a fraudster obtains your account number, but doesn't know the security code, the purchase doesn't go through. It's just another layer of smart protection brought to you by Visa.

Verified by Visa

Give your online transactions extra protection with Verified by Visa, a personal password that confirms your identity whenever you check out at Verified by Visa online merchants. Verified by Visa is a free, simple-to-use service. Once activated, your card number will be recognized whenever you shop at participating merchants. When you shop, look for the Verified by Visa symbol and purchase with the added confidence Visa provides.

Identity Theft Assistance

If you suspect that you’ve been the victim of identity theft, Identity Theft Assistance puts you in touch with the information and help you need. Visa partners with the identity theft consumer network Call For Action at 1-888-ID-HOTLINE. They’ll walk you step-by-step through the process of regaining your identity.